


A Hazy Shade of Cold

by lostmagician



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Frottage, Grief/Mourning, Hypothermia, Kissing, M/M, Pining, Sharing Body Heat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:08:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25268131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostmagician/pseuds/lostmagician
Summary: After Tommy's death, Johnny goes to see the one person who can ground him. Daniel is alive, he'swell. So why does Johnny feel the need to shake him, make sure he's whole?Little does he know, they're soon going to be locked in the cold room, with only each other for warmth.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 31
Kudos: 288





	A Hazy Shade of Cold

**Author's Note:**

> It seems like smut with a buttload of angst has become my specialty. This story has a special ingredient though: some sweet, sweet pining. Get ready for all the emotions! *:･ﾟ✧
> 
> Special thanks to Storyshark2005 for helping me with the set-up of the story.
> 
> Set during S02E07: "Lull."

Fernandez Meat Co was a small warehouse on Grove Street, far away from the pollution and the crowd. Johnny climbed out of the car, and slammed the door shut. He was vibrating with restless energy. The stress of the day washing over him, seeping underneath his skin.

He hadn’t bothered to return to the dojo. He’d gone straight from the camping site _(whereTommydied)_ to LaRusso Auto. This time, all he’d had to do was take one look at Falafel Phil, and the guy had spilled the beans like a busted crock-pot.

He entered the building through a side door, and narrowly avoided one of the employees patrolling the corridor. He had earphones plugged in, rock music blaring through the speakers. Johnny didn’t have to search long for the cold room. It was a large white door, with metal frames.

He took a deep breath and with shaking hands, grabbed the handle, sliding the door open.

Daniel was surrounded by his students, his arms in mid-air as though he was in the middle of a lesson. His eyes widened when Johnny stepped into the room.

Johnny clenched his fists. “Everybody, get out.”

He must have made quite an image, because the students didn’t question his order. They scrambled to grab their things, before fleeing out the door. Daniel’s jaw went slack; his eyes scattering over Johnny, like he was trying to figure out what was going on.

“Dad,” Robby said angrily, and Johnny hadn’t even noticed him there. Johnny looked at him now. His eyebrows were furrowed, his lips pursed in anger.

“Robby, get out now,” Johnny said, injecting steel into his voice.

Robby jutted his jaw forward, but before he could say anything, Daniel dipped his head in his direction.

“Go,” he said in a reassuring voice. “I’ll meet you at home.”

Robby’s eyes snapped to Daniel, and Johnny’s heart ached at the way his gaze softened. He’d never looked at Johnny like that, had he? Robby nodded, before grabbing his phone, and walking out. He shut the door behind him.

Then, it was just them. Johnny’s chest was hurting, a deep pain in his lungs that wasn’t going away. He could still smell the firewood burning, feel the light breeze on his skin. He had to stop his eyes from roaming over Daniel’s body. Daniel was in one piece, he was _alive._ Then why did Johnny feel like he needed to shake him, make sure he was whole?

Daniel still hadn’t moved an inch. When he realized that Johnny wasn’t going to say anything, he raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, we’re alone now. Are you going to tell me why you’re here?”

He was trying to act normal, as though Johnny hadn’t just barged in with mud-streaked jeans and messy hair.

Johnny breathed slowly. He hadn’t thought about what he was going to say, the image of Tommy still raw on his mind. All he’d felt was the urgent need to see Daniel. He scrambled through his brain, searching for a response.

There was one thing he could talk to Daniel about, something he needed an answer to.

“When were you going to tell me that Robby was living with you?” Johnny asked, and his voice sounded _wrecked,_ even to his own ears—like he’d spent all day screaming in the woods.

There was a pause, during which Daniel just stared at him. Johnny didn’t like it, the way those dark eyes watched him like he was a ticking bomb on the verge of exploding.

“I tried to tell you,” Daniel said slowly. He licked his lips. “That night when I came to see you at the dojo... But then I saw you hanging out with your buddy, Kreese.”

Johnny took a jerky step forward. “Kreese and I are _not—_ ” he broke off, when he realized he was snarling. He swallowed, and when he spoke again, it was in a calmer tone. “We’re not buddies, okay? Cobra Kai is mine. _I_ make the rules, and he follows.”

“Yeah?” Daniel asked, his face too still. “So, he doesn’t do anything without your say-so?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“ _Yes._ ”

“So, you’re aware that he came to Miyagi-Do this morning?”

Johnny’s heart stopped. “What?”

“Kreese came to my dojo this morning,” Daniel repeated, and there was a blazing fire in his eyes now. “He showed up in my backyard. He was there when I arrived.”

“What did he want?” Johnny asked, and he finally allowed his eyes to travel over Daniel. If Kreese had _hurt_ him—

“He said something about a lull between battles, and how I should be prepared for what’s to come.”

“Fuck,” Johnny said, turning around and running a rough hand through his hair. Kreese was like a dog with a bone. How many _times_ had Johnny told him not to speak in Cobra Kai’s name?

Johnny thought about the camping trip, how he’d left Kreese for two entire days alone with the students. Stupid, stupid, _stupid._

“I have to go,” Johnny said. He didn’t turn to see Daniel’s reaction. He just went directly to the exit and grabbed the handle. The door didn’t budge. He clenched his jaw and tried again, pulling with all his strength.

Daniel hurried to his side, and pushed him out of the way. He used his entire body to do the same, but it didn’t work either. He released the handle, and slammed the door with his fist.

“Shit,” Daniel said, his voice echoing in the room. “The latch must have closed on the outside.” He headed to a pile of boxes in the corner of the room, and grabbed his phone.

“Can’t we just call out for help?” Johnny asked, as he watched Daniel press on the power button of his phone.

“The walls are too thick,” Daniel said, then in an angrier tone. “I have no more battery. Do you have a phone?”

“I forgot it in the car,” Johnny said, before swallowing thickly. He was almost too afraid to ask. “So, what do we do now?”

Daniel looked annoyed. “There’s nothing _to_ do. All we can do is hope is that somebody notices and comes searching for us.”

Johnny’s eyes dropped to the floor. He never should have come here. He should have just stayed in the car and drowned his sorrows with a bottle of whiskey. All he’d done so far was embarrass himself in front of Daniel.

 _No, you came here because you needed him,_ the little voice said inside of him. _You needed to see him, alive and breathing._

Fuck, it was really cold. Goosebumps were raising on his forearms, spreading all the way up to his biceps. He was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Daniel was slightly more dressed in jogging pants and a hoodie.

They couldn’t just stay like this. It could be hours before somebody came to find them. They needed to be smart.

Johnny looked around the room, and after some digging, found an empty cardboard box. He flattened it and spread it on the floor. It wasn’t the best insulation but it was better than nothing. Then, he searched a little more and found a heavy jacket. It smelled old and musty, but it was thick enough to keep them warm.

He sat on the cardboard box, and held the jacket over his shoulders. It was large enough to cover the both of them. He peered up at Daniel. “We can share the jacket.”

Daniel looked over Johnny, before shaking his head. “No, it’s fine. You’re the one who’s not dressed enough.”

“And you’re the one who’s been here longer,” Johnny said.

“I’m wearing a hoodie, I don’t need it.”

“LaRusso.”

“Johnny, really. I don’t need it.”

“Can you stop being stubborn, and get your ass over here,” Johnny said sharply. “We’re not gonna last if we don’t huddle for warmth.”

Daniel stared at the floor, working his jaw back and forth.

“Fine,” Daniel said, but he only sounded resigned.

He drew closer, and sat down carefully next to Johnny. Up close, Daniel’s lips looked a little blue. After some time, they realized that they were losing heat through their fronts, so they changed positions and lay down on their backs, shoulder to shoulder.

It was awkward this way, and Johnny had to tuck his hands into his armpits, so that their hands wouldn’t touch. But it was the only way they could conserve heat.

They stayed like for a long time, staring at the ceiling.

“So...” Daniel started slowly. “What’s going on?”

Johnny blinked away the image of Tommy’s dead body. He hadn’t even realized his thoughts had drifted again. He tilted his head in Daniel’s direction. “What?”

“You’re acting weird.”

“How would you know?” Johnny asked, and there was a bite in his tone now.

“We might not be friends, but I know you, Johnny. You’re still that seventeen year old kid who’d rather pick a fight with me than face his emotions.”

There was a long moment of silence, as Johnny mulled over his reply. Could he tell Daniel about Tommy?

He didn’t want to talk about it, but he knew what happened with unspoken feelings. They spread inside you like a tumor, burrowing in the nooks and crannies of your body, eating you alive.

“My friend died,” Johnny said, his throat tightening as soon the words left his mouth.

Maybe it was his imagination but he felt Daniel’s shoulder wedge more firmly against his.

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said in a low voice. Then, he hesitated. “Were you very close?”

“Yeah,” Johnny said hoarsely. “He was one of my best friends.”

It felt good to say it out loud, like he was honoring Tommy’s memory by doing so. They sank back into silence. Johnny let the weight of Daniel’s presence comfort him. He closed his eyes against the harsh fluorescent light, and tried to think of happier times. Back when he didn’t have to worry about people dying, or people leaving.

He must have dozed off, because when he opened his eyes again, the lights had dimmed down to a soft glow, and his body was surprisingly warm. He blinked, chasing away at the cobwebs of sleep, and turned his head to look at Daniel. The other man’s eyes were closed, his face a smooth mask.

“Hey,” Johnny said, nudging him with his shoulder.

Daniel didn’t answer. He didn’t even move. Johnny bit his lip, wondering whether he should wake him up. But it wasn’t every day that he got to stare unabashed at Daniel, was it?

In his sleep, Daniel looked like a remnant of his younger self. The one that made Johnny’s blood boil, and his insides clench all at the same time. Johnny thought that the years would cause this thing inside of him to fade, but all it had taken was one look at the dealership, and he was back to where it started.

Johnny traced over Daniel’s features, drinking in the sight of him. He let his eyes travel down the slope of his nose, his lips, the dip of his throat, his shoulders, his chest, his—Johnny’s mind backtracked—

His _uncovered_ chest.

Johnny sat up suddenly, body going on high alert. The jacket pooled down around his waist, from where it had been laid purposefully across his own arms and legs.

“You fucking asshole,” Johnny growled. He twisted his body toward Daniel, and shook his shoulder. “Hey, come on, LaRusso. Wake up.”

He pressed his fingers against Daniel’s neck; he was fucking freezing. Johnny bit back another curse, and brought his face close to Daniel’s nose. He was breathing, but it was shallow. Johnny leaned back, and tapped Daniel’s cheek.

 _It’s like Tommy,_ he screamed inside. _He looks like Tommy._

“LaRusso, do you hear me? I said wake _up_ , _”_ Johnny said, and then when Daniel still didn’t react, he did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed Daniel’s earlobe and pinched— _hard._

Daniel groaned. It was low and weak, but it was _there_. Johnny felt a pulse of hope.

“Fuck, just come here,” he said, laying back down on his side and pulling Daniel’s arm, until he was facing Johnny. He covered both of them with the jacket. Daniel’s face scrunched up in annoyance, but he didn’t fight him.

“Come on.” He snaked one arm under Daniel’s waist and used the other hand to rub Daniel’s arm. “Come on, stay with me.”

Up close, Johnny could feel the way Daniel was shaking, his entire body trembling from the cold. Johnny huddled closer until their hips and chests were aligned.

“Come on, we just need to warm you up a little,” he said, shocked at how steady his voice was. He pressed their faces together, trying to give him some of his body heat. “You’ll be warm in no time, and everything will be fine, okay? Help is gonna come, and they’ll find us, and we’ll finally be able to go home.”

They stayed like that for a long time. Johnny rubbing Daniel’s arm, and staring at his dark eyelashes, the lines on his forehead. _Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay._ The words ran through his head like a mantra, over and over again.

Daniel made a breathy sound and moved his head slightly, like he was trying to get more comfortable. Their lips brushed, just a _sliver_ of skin—and it was like an electric bolt running through Johnny.

His entire body froze, heart racing through his chest.

They stayed like that, the corner of their mouths pressed against each other. Johnny breathed, counting the seconds in his head. Anything to keep his mind off the softness of Daniel’s lips.

Then, Daniel moved again. He rooted around with his eyes closed and slotted their lips better together.

It was warm, warmer than it had any right to be. Johnny let out a shaky breath through his nose. He pulled back slightly, but Daniel followed him, with half-parted lips, sealing their mouths again. Johnny thought this was the end of it. Daniel seemed content to stay like this—that is until Johnny felt Daniel’s tongue brush against his upper lip.

It was just a soft, lazy swipe of his tongue, but it made Johnny’s stomach harden immediately. There was nothing accidental about the kiss anymore. Daniel did it again, and Johnny let his eyes fall shut. He was only human after all, and this was—it was _Daniel._

He parted his mouth, and before he knew it, he was latching onto Daniel’s lower lip, sucking softly. It was intoxicating, the way Daniel’s body melted into him, his hand raising to clutch at Johnny’s shirt. It made heat pool in Johnny’s lower belly, hot and heavy.

He withdrew and nipped at Daniel’s lips—little bites with the edge of his teeth, hoping to get some color back into them, before dipping back in.

Through the haze, a thought slithered its way through his mind. Did Daniel realize what he was doing? _(Of course, he did. He was the one who started it, wasn’t he?)_ But Daniel was freezing, his mind probably numb with cold. Could it be that he wasn’t aware? _(Could it?)_

Johnny’s chest tightened in anxiety. He tugged Daniel’s lips one last time before releasing him.

“Say my name,” Johnny said, low and rough.

Daniel blinked his eyes open at that moment, trying to focus on Johnny. He leaned forward to kiss him again, but Johnny stopped him with a firm hand around his neck.

“Say it,” Johnny said with more urgency.

His heart was beating wildly in his chest. He didn’t know what he’d do if Daniel didn’t say his name. They were so close, their hot breaths mingling in the shared space between them. He rubbed his thumb on Daniel’s jaw, having to hold himself back from kissing him again.

Daniel blinked slowly, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

Then, in a single breath, “ _John._ ”

Johnny surged forward and pressed their lips in an open-mouthed kiss. Daniel opened up like a flower, wet heat welcoming him.

He rolled Daniel onto his back, nestling between his thighs. He parted his mouth wider, pushing his tongue into Daniel’s mouth. Daniel made a breathy sound, his hand squeezing weakly against Johnny’s chest. They kissed for what felt like an eternity, their tongues crashing into each other, like tidal waves, over and over again.

Johnny withdrew to survey his work. Daniel’s cheeks were flushed, his eyes heavy-lidded with arousal. He was a hard line against Johnny’s hip. Johnny lowered his hand and started rubbing him through his pants. Daniel’s eyes fluttered shut and he rolled his lips, moaning.

What Johnny would give him to undress him now, and do this properly. He’d take his time, kissing his way down Daniel’s chest, tasting his skin before taking him into his mouth. He’d run his hands along Daniel’s thighs, feeling the muscle underneath his fingertips, quivering with every hollow of his cheeks.

Not for the first time, Johnny wished fervently that they were somewhere else. He let go of Daniel and settled back on top of him, connecting their lips once more. Despite the cold, there was a fire coiling around his veins. He started to move his hips in circles, lightly at first, then with more pressure, until they were engaged in a slow, lazy grind.

Daniel slowly regained his strength. He clamped his arms around Johnny’s lower back, pulling him closer, urging him on. Johnny moaned into his mouth, enjoying Daniel’s enthusiasm.

He rolled his hips, harder and faster, pleasure shooting down his spine with every move—and then they were no longer kissing, they were just panting into each other’s mouths. The only sound in the room their loud breaths, creating clouds of steam between their lips.

Johnny placed an elbow by Daniel’s head, and used the other hand to pin him down by the waist, so that it was easier to thrust against him. He kept going faster, faster. It was getting hot, so hot, sweat pooling in his lower back, and he was so _close,_ his toes curling with every thrust.

He could tell the exact moment Daniel came. He bared his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a low moan. The image was so erotic, so powerful that it drove Johnny straight over the edge.

He snapped his hips and his belly went rock hard, his entire body trembling as he held himself still. Then, he collapsed on top of Daniel, letting his weight anchor Daniel into the ground. Daniel panted heavily and turned his head sideways, leaving his neck exposed, but Johnny grabbed him by the chin and pulled his face back up.

Johnny gave him a open-mouthed kiss, that was more lazy than passionate. He kissed him until his head started spinning, at which point he released Daniel and pressed their foreheads together. They breathed together until their heartbeats slowed down.

After a while, Daniel nudged him with his nose, but Johnny kept his eyes closed, wishing he could make this moment last forever.

Daniel nudged him again, this time more insistently. Johnny took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He could tell the moment Daniel saw it, the deep longing in his expression, the yearning that only grew stronger with every day that passed between them. Johnny felt cracked open, like all his emotions were bleeding from his face.

Daniel stared at him, sad crease between his eyebrows that only deepened the longer Johnny looked at him. A hand cupped the back of Johnny’s head, scratching blunt nails into his hair, and Daniel pulled him down for another kiss, this time softer.

Somehow, he also tasted of longing and regret.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all liked the story! If you're wondering why all the writers are suddenly using the name "John" in their fics, look no further than ☆ [this post.](https://xqueencobrax.tumblr.com/post/618216476854353920/every-time-daniel-calls-johnny-john-all-i-can)


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